James Dobson, Founder of Focus on the Family and Conservative Christian Leader, Dies at 89

James Dobson, the founder of Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family, died on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, at the age of 89

James Dobson, a child psychologist and founder of the influential conservative Christian ministry Focus on the Family, died Thursday at the age of 89. His passing was confirmed by the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute.

Born in 1936 in Shreveport, Louisiana, Dobson rose to prominence as a leading voice for evangelical Christians in politics, focusing on opposition to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. He launched a radio show counseling parents before founding Focus on the Family in 1977. At its peak, the organization employed more than 1,000 people and gave Dobson a powerful platform to influence public policy and advise U.S. presidents. The ministry relocated to Colorado Springs in 1991.

Throughout the 1980s, Dobson emerged as a major force in conservative politics alongside figures such as Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. He became a strong advocate for integrating religious conservatives into the political mainstream, later serving on an advisory board for Donald Trump in 2016 and supporting him through all three presidential campaigns. Dobson also praised Trump’s Supreme Court appointments that led to the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling it a historic victory for the pro-life movement.

Dr. James Dobson, founder of the Focus on the Family Christian ministry and former advisor to five U.S. presidents, has died at 89. Dobson is pictured attending an event in Washington in 2007

Dobson left Focus on the Family in 2010 to establish the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute, where he continued his Family Talk radio program. According to the institute, the show now airs on 1,500 outlets and draws more than half a million listeners weekly. His family remembered him as a man whose “impact endures through the many lives he touched, the families he strengthened, and the unshakable faith he proclaimed.”

A trusted adviser to conservative leaders, Dobson interviewed President Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office in 1985 and mentored younger Christian political voices, including Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council. Perkins described him as belonging on the “Mount Rushmore” of Christian conservatism for shaping a biblical vision of family values.

Dobson’s influence extended into the culture wars, where he frequently spoke against pornography, abortion, and same-sex relationships. His Focus on the Family broadcasts often featured guests who claimed to have left homosexuality through faith. In 1989, he conducted a controversial final interview with serial killer Ted Bundy, who claimed pornography fueled his crimes.

At the height of his influence, Dobson even considered a presidential run in 2000. Ralph Reed, founder of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, noted that “if Jim had decided to run, he would have been a major force.” Reed presented him with a lifetime achievement award in 2017.

Dobson is survived by his wife of 64 years, Shirley, their children Danae and Ryan, daughter-in-law Laura, and two grandchildren.